


Home is Wherever You Are

by iamladyloki



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Except Rey who is converting, F/M, Feat. porg the pug, Fluff, Hanukkah, everyone is jewish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 09:31:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13120950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamladyloki/pseuds/iamladyloki
Summary: Ben and Rey travel to Switzerland to spend Chanukah with his family. While Rey is nervous about meeting his family, he is eager for her to become a part of the family. When it comes to Skywalker-Solo family bonding, shenanigans can only ensue.





	Home is Wherever You Are

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Plutoascending91](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plutoascending91/gifts).



> Happy holidays, Megan! While talking to you about my bakery AU idea, I realized that I could easily take that plot and make a oneshot related to it. So basically this takes place after my future bakery AU fic, lol. Spoiler alert! Hahaha. I hope you enjoy. xoxo

“You can stop fidgeting,” Ben says with amusement. He has watched Rey squirm and bounce her knee out of the corner of his eye since they left the airport in Zurich. “Just don’t think about the destination and enjoy the journey,” he adds, glancing over to briefly meet her eye. He hates seeing her anxious, especially on account of him - she’s meeting his family for the first time, after all.

“Sorry,” she replies, placing a hand on her knee as though she has to physically restrain herself from wiggling like a toddler. He removes a hand from the steering wheel and offers it to her, and she takes it gratefully. He squeezes it gently, hoping the pressure helps calm her.

“They are going to adore you,” he says reassuringly for what must be the fiftieth time.

“I know,” Rey says, surprising him. He barks out a laugh. “I’m just out of my element, is all,” she explains. 

Ben is surprised. Rey is fantastic with people; she is surrounded by them all day at the bakery, and she had been so kind to him when he first started appearing at the shop. But then he realizes that maybe this is different, because these are not strangers and friends that she is meeting with. It’s family.

She leans across the gear stick to place her cheek against his shoulder, still gripping his hand in both of hers. He’s careful to maneuver on the snowy road while allowing Rey to snuggle against him. “It’s okay to feel anxious,” Ben says. “It’s okay to be out of your comfort zone. Just know that I’ll be there with you.”

“I know,” she replies, and she smiles up at him. Oh, how he loves that smile.

The drive is relatively relaxed the rest of the way to his family’s chalet. The Alps in winter are truly spectacular, even more so when experiencing them through the eyes of someone who had not travelled beyond the coast of Britain. The most exciting place she’d visited was the Scottish Highlands. Seeing Rey’s eyes light up when they drove through a particularly breathtaking valley and hearing her squeal when they wound their way up a narrow mountain pass made Ben’s heart swell.

The best is her expression when they pull into the driveway and he shuts off the car. Her whole face takes on the excited glow that makes her the most radiant person he’s ever met. Her eyes crinkle, her smile so big that it seems to fill up her entire face with joy. It’s the face she makes when she is completely, utterly happy.

The chalet is picturesque. It is nestled in a hilly valley beneath towering mountains. Snow blankets the ground and the roof, but the light emitting from inside exudes a sense of warmth and comfort. Smoke from a fireplace curls up into the sky like a homing beacon. Twinkling white fairy lights line the outside of the ground level. “Oh, Ben,” Rey says on a sigh.

He gives her a quick kiss on the forehead. “Are you ready?”

“Wait,” Rey squeaks, turning on the overhead light and pulling out her makeup bag from her backpack. Ben is about to protest that it isn’t necessary, but he also knows Rey is out of her comfort zone and that this might help her gain some of that confidence back. She applies some dark red lipstick, fixes her eyeliner, and tidies up her travel-mussed hair before she puts the bag away and says, “Okay. Now I’m ready.”

“Good, because I think Bubbe Padme spotted us and we probably should get in there before she storms out here to collect us,” Ben says, turning off the overhead light and opening his door.

They manage to carry all of their luggage in one trip, but Rey struggles a bit to keep her footing. If she fell, she would end up slipping into a meter-high snowdrift, so Ben keeps half an eye on her to make sure he won’t need to intervene with gravity. It ends up being him that nearly wipes out, but he manages to catch himself on the banister before he could eat snow. Rey, who had managed to reach the porch already, chortles with laughter.

“‘Are you alright, Ben? Thank goodness you’re not hurt, Ben!’” he says, mimicking her in a higher-pitched voice. Returning to his normal tone he says, “Why thank you dear, I’m so glad to know that you care so much for my well-being.”

“Are you okay, honey?” she finally asks in overly-sweet mocking tone. If his hands weren’t full of luggage, he would give her the finger.

Before he can reply, the front door swings open and he sees his father standing in the doorway, resting an arm against the frame. “It’s about time,” Han says. He looks at Rey and adds, “Hey, kid. You must be Ben’s girl. I’m his father, Han.” He offers a hand to Rey, who shakes it earnestly.

“Dad, come on. It’s freezing out here and I don’t want Rey to get frostbite before she meets the rest of the family. Introductions can be done inside,” Ben gripes.

“Yeah, yeah,” Han mutters, grabbing Rey’s suitcase and dragging it inside. Rey picks up her carry-on bag and follows behind Han at Ben’s encouragement.

Ben is last inside. He closes the door behind him, taking in the familiar warmth of his family’s Swiss home. He drops off the luggage at the door and takes Rey’s hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. He can tell from the look on her face that her nerves are getting the better of her. He tugs her closer and says, “Hey, if you want to wait for introductions, we can settle down upstairs first and join them right before dinner.”

She shakes her head and swallows thickly. “No. I’m okay. I’d rather get this part out of the way, and then I should be able to relax more.”

Introductions go smoothly. Rey is introduced to his parents, his Bubbe Padme, his uncle Luke, and family friends Chewie, Lando, and Amilyn. Everyone is smitten with Rey right off the bat, as Ben knew they would be. She is too special of a girl not to love right away. And she seems to love them right back. Sure, Leia and Bubbe were right up in her personal space as Jewish relatives were wont to do, and the Yiddish-speaking Chewie hugged her without verbal permission, but Rey seems unruffled by this.

She’s more enamored with Porg, Chewie’s pug. The flat-faced dog wags its tail in circles, doing its best to place kisses on Rey’s cheek from where she has squatted on the ground. It sets her into a fit of giggles, and Ben can’t help but be reminded of BB, the shiba owned by Rey’s friend Poe. Whenever they have dinner at Poe’s place, Rey is likely to be found on the floor with the dog. Perhaps he should think about taking Rey up to the animal shelter to adopt a Chanukah gift.

Eventually, he is able to prise them away from his family so that they can unpack and settle into their home for the long weekend. They have the top floor to themselves, and Ben doesn’t know whether to feel slightly embarrassed or very thankful that the older adults decided to share the first two floors and leave the third one for the two of them. The moment Ben closes the door behind them, Rey launches herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and planting a big kiss on his lips.

He eagerly returns it, but pauses so that he can laugh. Thankful, indeed. “Feeling more comfortable?” he mumbles as she tugs on his bottom lip with her teeth.

She detangles herself from him and drops back to the ground. “Thank you for bringing me,” is all she says. She immediately goes to start unpacking, and he does the same. They change out of their travel clothes into cozier, cleaner ones. Rey slips into a dark blue winter maxi dress that reminds Ben of their time in the Highlands. He dons a blue sweater with an Orthodox Jew shouting, “Challah!” He knows his parents will get a kick out of it, at the very least.

“You look beautiful,” he tells Rey while she touches up her makeup once again. She meets his eyes in the mirror reflection and smiles.

She turns and approaches him with a clean tissue. “Thank you, love. Now hold on, you’ve got some lipstick here,” she says, scrubbing away at his mouth.

“I wonder why,” he replies sarcastically, and goes to kiss Rey again. She moves her head out of the way before he can reach her lips.

“Dumb dumb, I just cleaned off the lipstick from our last kiss,” she giggles, stepping out of his grasp. “Why don’t we save this for after dinner?” She gives him a wink and turns toward the door to head downstairs. All Ben can do is clear his throat and follow in her footsteps.

His father and his two friends are in the living area, gathered around the crackling fireplace. He can hear his mother, bubbe, and Amilyn in the kitchen finishing up dinner. “Why don’t we go check on how dinner is coming along?” he suggests to Rey, and she nods eagerly. She’d mentioned wanting to learn some Jewish cooking traditions on the drive here, so that she could incorporate some of them into her bakery back home in London. Ben is not a cook, so learning from his family will be her best bet.

He can smell the latkes frying like a homing beacon, and it makes his stomach growl. They round the corner and Rey gasps in delight at the spread of foods. Bubbe is slicing up and transferring the large brisket onto a serving tray, platters of vegetables and challah are spread across the center island, while Amilyn and Leia are busy making latkes over the stove, giggling like schoolgirls. Porg is hovering around everyone, waiting for someone to drop a delectable morsel.

“Hello, dear!” Leia calls over her shoulder. “We have three kinds of latkes this year.”

Rey hurries over to observe them. “Is that zucchini?” she inquires, and Leia confirms so.

“We also have the usual potato latkes and beet latkes,” Amilyn told Rey while she dropped some more latke batter into the frying pan with a loud sizzle.

“This looks and smells amazing,” Rey says, and Ben swears he can hear her stomach growl, too.

“You’re a chef, aren’t you?” Amilyn asks Rey.

“I’m a baker,” Rey clarifies. “I’ll make bread and desserts over anything else any day. But I would love to learn some Jewish recipes.”

Leia winks at Rey and says, “I think we can help with that.”

Rey practices frying beet latkes under the guidance of Amilyn and Leia, with Ben watching them from a kitchen chair. She only manages to burn a couple, and even those aren’t inedible. While the last of the latkes are fried up, Ben begins to move all of the dishes onto the dining room table.

“Bubbe, why don’t you go sit down at the head of the table? We’ll finish getting everything ready,” he says to his grandmother, who was about to carry a platter of honeyed carrots into the dining room. He takes the tray from her hands and follows her slowly into the dining room.

Padme is still spritely for being in her mid-eighties. She’s well enough that she still lives on her own, though an assistant does help her out throughout the day. Ben knows that she still misses her husband, Anakin, who died before Ben was born.

“Okay, food is ready! Come on, you lazy lumps,” Leia hollars into the living area, where the older men are all sprawled and chatting over their beers. She looks around and sighs. “Ben, would you please go get your uncle? He must be out back chopping wood.”

After everyone is finally gathered around the table, they begin the prayers. Kippahs are passed around for the men, while Leia and Luke stand by the menorah. Luke lights the shamash candle, then everyone recites, “Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Chanukah. Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech haolam, she-asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.” Rey stumbles through a few of the words, but she does well for the most part - they’d lit their menorah for the first night the previous evening, and Rey had been adamant that she wanted to learn as much of the prayer as possible.

In addition to it being the second night of Chanukah, it is also Shabbat, so his family says blessings for lighting the Shabbat candles immediately after, with Leia lighting them. Luke summarizes the week’s portion of the Torah, and then they recite the Kiddush prayer over the wine and the Hamotzi prayer over the challah. Ben eagerly grabs a piece of challah from the bread basket being passed around and bites into it before he even thinks to add any butter. He is utterly starving.

The meal is fantastic, and it reminds Ben how much he missed big family dinners. He’s hardly ever in the same place as his family ever since he graduated high school. Even though it is only a minor holiday, Chanukah serves to be his family’s big traditional gathering. He often attends the High Holy Days services wherever he is travelling, and he tends to spend Passover by himself. With Rey beginning the conversion process, Ben feels suddenly grateful that he won’t be spending holidays alone anymore.

They eat until they are stuffed. The table is cleared and dishes are cleaned, and then they break off to digest until they are ready for dessert. Han pulls Ben aside and they head outside onto the porch. “Got your pipe?” Han asks, and Ben rolls his eyes. He pulls his smoking pipe out of his coat pocket by way of answer.

They don’t speak immediately, instead relaxing in their seats and taking puffs of their pipes, taking in the night air. Ben doesn’t smoke his pipe too often, but he always does when he is with his father. Finally Han breaks the silence. “So, kid. Rey. I like her. It’s serious?”

Ben smiles fondly and exhales some smoke. “I would be surprised if you didn’t like her,” he says. At the look his father sends his way, Ben finally adds, “And yes, it’s very serious.”

“Good,” Han says around his pipe, nodding in a pleased manner. “Good. Your grandmother will be glad to hear it.”

“So will Mom,” Ben says, laughing. His last serious relationship had only lasted five months before they decided they weren’t lifestyle compatible, and that had ended a good five years ago. Ben is lucky to have found Rey. He will forever be thankful for the random Londoner who’d recommended Rey’s shop as a place to sit and write while enjoying a cup of tea. He’d taken one look at her and felt a pull like no other. He still thanks the Almighty every day for being introduced to his Rey of Light. He still was unconvinced that he deserved her, but she didn’t seem to mind him, flaws and all. 

They return inside to find Lando and Chewie trying to give Rey a lesson on playing dreidel, while Amilyn and Leia finish up the sufganiyot, and Luke readies the table for dessert. Ben joins Rey and laughs when he realizes that Lando is  _ definitely _ teaching Rey the wrong way to play, while Chewie tries to explain things in broken English.

It’s after nine before they all finish eating and cleaning up. Rey disappears with Padme, Leia, and Amilyn for some “girl time” at his grandmother’s insistence. He’s glad that they want to get to know Rey. Ben settles down to play a game of poker with his father, uncle, Lando, and Chewie. They use chocolate gelt as their currency.

When Ben passes by the open door to his grandmother’s master bedroom while on his way to the bathroom, he hears raucous giggling. He freezes in his tracks when he sees Rey trying on Padme’s many incredible gowns. Rey is walking around in what he can only describe as a rainbow gown, and she looks positively stunning. His heart aches in his chest from how much he loves her.

He catches his mother’s eye. She gives him a sweet smile that he can’t help but return. Good. She likes Rey. He moves on before Rey catches him spying on them.

By the time ten o’clock rolls around, everyone breaks off to get ready for bed. Rey heads upstairs to take a shower, while Padme drags Ben into her room to give him something. He looks on curiously while she digs something out of her bedside drawer. She returns to him and places a small velvet box in his palm. His eyes widen when he realizes what it is.

It’s Padme’s engagement ring.

“You take care of that girl, okay?” Padme says, her gaze unwavering. “You take care of her, and she will take care of you. Take care of each other.”

“I will. I promise,” Ben says sincerely.

“Good,” Padme says, smiling at him fondly. He leans down to kiss her on the cheek.

“Thank you, Bubbe,” he tells her, and he squeezes her frail hand gently with his own.

His pocket feels heavy on his trek to the top floor. He wishes he could propose to Rey then and there, but he has very specific plans that he does not want to ruin. While Rey is still showering, he hides the ring in his luggage. He then sheds his clothes and joins her.

She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him deeply. “Thank you for introducing me to your family,” she sighs, and rests her cheek against his shoulder. “They are wonderful.”

Ben places a kiss on the top of Rey’s head. She smells like tea tree oil. “Thank you for coming with me,” he says. “I love you.”

She gives him one of her dazzling smiles. “I love you,” she replies. “Now let go of me, I’m finished showering. I would hurry with your shower if I were you, I’ll be waiting for you in your favorites,” she says huskily. “And I expect you to ravish me all night long.”

“All night, hmm?” He asks, moving to nuzzle against her. She pulls away and steps out of the shower before he gets the chance. “Tease!” He pouts.

“That’s the point,” she laughs, and he hears the bathroom door close behind her.

When Ben emerges wrapped in a towel, it’s to find Rey lounging on the bed in his favorite lingerie set - red with black lace. He lets out a hungry growl and stalks towards her, letting the towel drop to the floor. He makes good on her request.

They wake up late by their standards the following morning. Bright morning light filters into the room, making Ben blink into awareness. He notes that is is nearly a quarter ‘til ten in the morning. They both have sleep and sex-mussed hair, and Kylo can’t help but crawl over Rey and kiss her deeply. Deciding that breakfast can wait, they end up having languid morning sex, and then again in the shower. 

By the time they emerge downstairs, it’s nearly eleven. Ben’s father gives him a look that suggests he knows what they were up to, resulting in Ben clearing his throat and steering Rey into the kitchen so that they can grab a quick bite before lunch.

Rey decides to join the other women in making lunch, so Ben steps outside for another smoke with his father. Han raises a brow and says, “Enjoying your vacation?”

Ben coughs on some smoke before replying, “Fuck off.” They both laugh for a moment before they taper into silence. Ben is the one that breaks it. “Bubbe gave me her engagement ring.”

“You planning on proposing?” Han asks incredulously.

Ben looks up at his father and nods. “I have plans, yes. I’m taking her to Paris in the spring and proposing there. Rey has talked about visiting Paris practically since I first met her, and she still has not been. She knows nothing about this, of course.”

Suddenly the front door swings open and a small, tawny blur comes flying out the door, followed by Rey and Chewie. They chase - and are chased by - Porg around the front yard, and Rey’s shrieking laughter makes Ben smile from ear to ear.

“You did good, kid,” Han says approvingly of Rey.

“Yeah,” Ben agrees, unable to remove the grin from his face. “Yeah, I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> This wasn't beta'd, so if you notice a grammar or tense issue, let me know!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at forcebondedreylo.


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